Heroic soldier Martin Bell killed in Afghanistan honoured by Queen

The family of a paratrooper who died when he disobeyed a direct command so he could help a wounded comrade yesterday spoke of their pride as they received a posthumous honour.

Hero: Pte Bell was hailed by his proud family (Picture: Getty Images)

Honoured: Private Martin Bell (Picture: MoD/PA)

Pte Martin Bell, from 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, was ordered not to move after an explosion blew the legs off a soldier.

But he made his way to his friend across open ground where more IEDs were thought to be hidden.

He managed to stop the bleeding from the remains of Pte Scott Meenaghâs legs and give him painkillers.

As he helped pull the injured soldierâs stretcher up a steep bank he triggered an IED and was killed near a village in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand in January last year. Pte Meenagh survived.

Pte Bellâs separated parents Simon and Elaine Bell received the George Medal privately from the Queen.

Mr Bell, from Bradford, said: âTo say Iâm proud is an understatement. He touched so many hearts in his 24 years, if I live to be 424 Iâll never do the same.

âEvery doctor weâve talked to said Scott would have died if Martin had not done what he did.â Mrs Bell added: âThey were like his brothers and he would never have left his brothers.â

During the same investiture, Cpl Carl Taylor, of Birmingham, was awarded the Military Cross for risking his life to rescue three Afghan children.

Flight Lieutenant Jonathan Arvind Singh of the Royal Air Force received the Distinguished Flying Cross (Picture: Lewis Whyld/PA)

Corporal Carl Taylor has been awarded the Military Cross (Picture: Lewis Whyld/PA Wire)

The 25-year-old used his body as a shield to carry the boys, aged between three and seven, back to their distraught mothers in Helmand in March last year.

RAF pilot Flt Lt Jon Singh, 31, from Bristol, who managed to land his Chinook helicopter safely after it was rendered âalmost unflyableâ by insurgent gunfire, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.